1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a layout apparatus and a layout method to automatically determine the number of images arranged on each page, arrangement positions of images, and the like and generate a layout, for example, when generating a photo book or an electronic photo album and to a computer-readable recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a photo book is a service to generate a photo collection of the layout that a user desires when the user transmits a plurality of images (image data) captured by a digital camera or the like to a service provider through a network, such as the Internet. When generating the photo book, the user can freely determine the number of pages of the photo book, images included in each page, arrangement positions of images on each page, and the like.
On the other hand, it is known to automatically determine images to be included in each page, arrangement positions of images on each page, and the like and thereby generate the layout when generating a photo book or the like and to present the generated layout to the user.
For example, JP2011-34477A discloses means for arranging images in a layout frame based on a arrangement priority of a layout frame, which arrangement priority is determined by performing calculation using a predetermined calculation method based on the relative distance from the reference position of a specified layout, for which the layout frame is specified, to the layout frame, the predetermined calculation method for determining the arrangement priority of the layout frame being specified based on the learning result which is obtained by learning a history in which a first image arranged in the layout frame has been replaced with a second image.
In addition, JP2002-288669A discloses a system that generates an electronic photo album, a design frame, and the like by inputting desired photos to the template of the specified layout for which the layout frame has been determined, and discloses that a desired layout can be completed by sorting the photos using the name of a photographer, recording time, a file name, or the like, generating an initial layout by inputting photos in the sorted order, and rearranging the photos arranged in the initial layout by the user.